Securing a field

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Securing a field
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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 14 11:28 pm Post subject: Securing a field

My adopted field has been broken into. It has 8 foot metal gates, which they lifted off the hinges and opened as though they were one gate. They broke open my caravan with a crowbar and nicked my tent, and tried and failed with another van on the property. They missed the garage and other storage, which are tucked away a bit, I think. All very tidy, no damage and shut up neatly again. Ignored all the scrap metal lying around. Could have been a lot worse.

So, how can make it less attractive? I don't live there and it is rather secluded. There is nothing valuable stored there (the caravans are old and scruffy) it has fake CCTV. Obviously the gate hinge needs turning to prevent another lifting incident, but really, if they want to get in then they will. Current ideas include

- nasty, hissy geese. Except I'd have to put up with them and I don't go there every day.

- putting up a sign which says 'Womble's maggot farm' or similar.

- greasing the the gates

- buying a cow with horns and putting up a sign saying 'bull in field' Possibly with a cartoon style cow-shaped dent in something metal easily visible from the gate

- some kind of infra red triggered gunshot recording when the gate is approached.

Ideas welcome. It's not so much about security, but more about making it less of a target.

frewen

Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

Posted: Mon Oct 27, 14 11:38 pm Post subject:
I think I'd go with geese. I would be cross

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 12:12 am Post subject:

Not really, it's just puzzling. There are various strimmers and mowers, which they either didn't find or didn't take. I suspect didn't find, so they didn't look very hard. They got my caravan open (the door is really ropey. It probably didn't need a crow bar!) but not the other - really, how hard is it to get an old caravan open? They ignored a sizeable amount of metal which would have gone for scrap. But they left all the doors closed again and there is not so much as a skid mark! And why not just take the caravan?

It seems very amateurish, but the gates were heavy and solid and hardly anything was taken, when there were things worth some money in plain view. I wouldn't have thought kids would get the gate off, and would have done more damage. Not nearly so neat.

I won't miss the tent overly, hardly ever used it. I'm actually in the process of buying some tools, so if the local toe rags have been for a look and found the place wanting, that works in my favour.

My biggest concern is that thieves may target it, leave it open and I will turn up to find some of the local travellers have moved in - there is a large population locally. I suppose I should just get some animals so I have to go every day. I don't really want the commitment at the moment, though.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 12:34 am Post subject:
There are alarm systems that can be set to alert you and/or the police if it's broken into, but I'm guessing they'll be cost prohibitive. It sounds like a bunch of lads on the way home from the pub/park to me. A bit of razor wire (or electric) on the gate might help.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 3:12 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

There are alarm systems that can be set to alert you and/or the police if it's broken into, but I'm guessing they'll be cost prohibitive.

They really ought not be: how sophisticated is the computer in a £10 mobile phone these days?
But there is AFAIK no easy way to connect it to things and programme it to use them.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 7:56 am Post subject:
I think you've cultivated the right attitude. My sister has had problems with land she owns and doesn't live close to. Have you thought of asking the police for ideas?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15951

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 9:42 am Post subject:

Do you have Countrywatch in your area? They produce some good signs which suggest thieves are being watched, and they also have a network of local country people to keep an eye on things. We get alerts of a lot of break ins where nothing is taken. No idea why; were disturbed, nothing they want etc. If it was potential thieves, they now know there is nothing there worth taking, but I would suggest a very secure lock up if you want to leave tools there, and try not to leave things like chainsaws or portable power tools as they are the sort of things that get pinched.

Turn the hinges so the gate can't be lifted off. Barbed wire fencing and on top of any climbable gates with rabbit mesh at the bottom so they can't get a foothold also helps.

Upsetting for you. It upsets us every time we have an intruder in our private bit of woodland too, and even worse if they pinch something.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 10:01 am Post subject:

The best way to protect your stuff is to not leave it there. Your local police may be helpful but in many places they don't seem bothered and in the unlikely event of catching the thieves not much will be done.

I wouldn't keep animals there as they'll just be a target. You can chain up high value items but with powerful cordless tools even very expensive chains and locks only take a few moments to cut.

I'm not sure of the legality of razor wire. I understand your concerns about people moving onto the land, although they wouldn't wait for a thief to brake in they'd do it themselves.

Obviously sort the gate, provided there isn't an easy way around it. I would wonder if a removable bollard would help prevent people moving on?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46192
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 10:26 am Post subject:
police advice countrywatch secure gate to deter entry by vehicle alarm mine van door/likely pathways/etc (bang from cover maybe 30 m away) dont store any valuables on site try to find a trusty local to "vermin"shoot at random times day or night signage for no valuables left on site

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4612
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 10:57 am Post subject:
Maybe they thought you were growing cannabis on this secluded plot,with them greenhouses.

bibbster

Joined: 17 Apr 2009
Posts: 1233
Location: Just a bit inland from Aberaeron

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 11:01 am Post subject:
If the gate hinges are dropped onto 'bolts', take one off and re fix it upside down with the gate in situ....that way they cant just 'lift' the gates off!!

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 1:35 pm Post subject:

We will be turning the gate hinges (not a job I can do on my own). The rest of it is enclosed with Holly and blackthorn, so is fairly secure.

There are no valuables stored on site at the moment, but if I want to work the land, I will need to store tools there. I have no outdoor storage in my current rented property. I have CCTV signs and fake cameras. I wonder if some sort of webcam set up would work?

The police are not interested at all. They were hopeless - suggested I pop in at 3am in the morning, as I would have an extra hours sleep that night (and do what exactly? Take on all three of them myself?!) or move one on the vans into the gateway and let the tyres down (like that would be hard to move for them! Just impossible for me!). I've since heard our local PCSO is good though, so will try him at some stage.

A bollard might be a good idea, especially in front of the garage where it's not easily visible. I may also fence the garages off so they look like they belong to the gardens behind. I'll look at some stealth storage too. I reckon a 'secret compartment' where things are hidden will be most effective. They'll get in if they want to, I just want to make the place as unattractive as possible and not worth bothering with, rather than a load of expensive security which suggests you have something to hide.

12Bore

Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 5:31 pm Post subject:
For some years I have been considering forming a group or snipers for hire. Initially I think that we would use paintball guns for a first call-out, escalating the armoury as required...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45665
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 5:40 pm Post subject:

12Bore wrote:

For some years I have been considering forming a group or snipers for hire.
Initially I think that we would use paintball guns for a first call-out, escalating the armoury as required...

Shouldn't you start with spud guns?

onemanband

Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90

Posted: Tue Oct 28, 14 6:31 pm Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

Rob R wrote:

There are alarm systems that can be set to alert you and/or the police if it's broken into, but I'm guessing they'll be cost prohibitive.

They really ought not be: how sophisticated is the computer in a £10 mobile phone these days?
But there is AFAIK no easy way to connect it to things and programme it to use them.

Search "GSM autodialler" They use a prepaid SIM card. IRO £90+ compared to £30+ for landline autodialler.
I assume WW's land doesn't have mains electric nor phone line so any alarm system would have to be battery operated. Excluding the autodialler you could get a half decent set-up for a few hundred, but it will only be as good as the person changing/charging the batteries.

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